


Dream A Little Dream (Of Me)

by amyanom



Category: NCT (Band), WayV (Band)
Genre: Angst, Death, Lucid Dreaming, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Shooting, content warning, dream - Freeform, inspired by Inception (film)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26882692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyanom/pseuds/amyanom
Summary: hendery had something xiaojun doesnt, courage. he needed hendery's bravery to access a place that lacks limitations, xiaojun needed to go to limbo, again.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Wong Kun Hang | Hendery, Wong Kun Hang | Hendery & Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6
Collections: nct title fest 2020





	Dream A Little Dream (Of Me)

**Author's Note:**

> #NTF099
> 
> thank you for the prompt!
> 
> content warning as mentioned in the tags ! proceed with caution, thank you !

a pink haired boy stood on the podium, desperate eyes looking for someone familiar. 

"i'm xiaojun," he spoke. "came up with that name seconds ago since i didn't know we had to use a fake name," he continued, earning a few giggles from the crowd.

xiaojun bowed and went down the stage, he had his eyes focused on someone. he earned a few stares as he walked to the jet black long haired boy sitting at the back.

"hi," he greeted. "can i sit next to you?"

"sure," the boy said without sparing xiaojun a glance from his book.

"what was your name again?" xiaojun asked. he himself didn't know why he was so enthusiastic about this particular person. platonically enamoured.

the boy put his book down and faced xiaojun. "hendery."

"last question before i totally leave you alone," xiaojun said. he can feel the embarrassment creeping up on him. "what do club members usually do in this club?"

"give advice," he said as he returned to his book.

xiaojun rolled his eyes on hendery for being so uptight. 

he definitely knew what the organization was about. it was a physical forum lead by an anonymous member. a club about those who lucid dreamed and needed someone to comfort them from the horrors they encountered.

"sorry," hendery spoke. "i'm not used to new interactions."

"what do you mean?"

"it's been a while since we had someone new and we don't really talk much in here," hendery said. "it's more of a place to hang out, actually. just comforting silence."

xiaojun was taken aback. "and here i was thinking that this was like a 'dear abby' thing-" he was interrupted by hendert's giggles. 

at least i made him smile, xiaojun thought to himself.

"i've been here since it was created," hendery said. "so if you need some advice, i can be dear hendery."

xiaojun offered a small smile. "i'll keep that in mind."

\---

it has been a week since xiaojun joined and he and hendery grew closer.

"it was being rude when we met for me," xiaojun said on his turn.

hendery didn't get to reply so xiaojun declared that he won the roasting game.

he pursed his lips and stared at xiaojun. "didn't i say sorry a few days ago?"

"i don't accept apologies, i accept answers."

hendery sighed. "fine, i'll tell you why i hated you."

xiaojun scoffed. "go on."

"well, technically i didn't," hendery admitted. "you just reminded me of someone i wanted to forget."

"an ex?" xiaojun pried to which the other nodded. "i understand. everytime i see tall people i kept thinking it's him."

"it's probably not the same," hendery replied. "i want to get rid of him, so bad."

xiaojun nodded. "it really is. for me, i want to see him, so bad," he said as his brain produced a blurry image of the person he missed. "enough about me, why do you hate that person so much?" 

hendery was frozen for a second before replying. "just because."

xiaojun rolled his eyes. "c'mon, you can tell me anything."

"i rather not."

"fine, i'll start with a confession," xiaojun said. "i actually didn't join this club because i was curious about things. i joined because i needed answers."

"what do you mean?"

"that's for other confessions."

hendery sighed. "fine, i'll tell you about

ten."

-

_ "i'm home," hendery said as he entered the doors of their house.  _

_ he wandered around, trying to find where ten was, as the latter tend to find inspiration anywhere. _

_ and there ten was, slumped against the wall, his knees brought up to his chest as he held a pencil in his hand. _

_ hendery went closer and sat next to him, tucking his messy blond hair on his ears before kissing his cheek. _

_ "how are you?" hendery asked, his hand cupped ten's face. _

_ "i'm tired," ten said, for days, tirelessly. his lifeless eyes found their way to hendery's. "you said everything will be better soon, hendery when is soon?"  _

_ he admitted that he felt bad. their relationship was a creaky floorboard. it can be fixed of course, but mostly it was ignored and avoided. _

_ "now," hendery said. he stoop up and carried ten to their bedroom, placing him gently on their bed. "when you wake up, everything will be better." _

\---

"you went to limbo?" xiaojun asked.

hendery nodded, remembering how careless he was that he suggested to dream deeper until they reached limbo, a dimension without limitations. it was foolproof at first.

"what happened?"

"ten wanted to escape reality so much that he trapped himself there. i willingly folllwed him for years but i knew i had to go back. ten, however, didn't have any reason to return." hendery replied. "he even left his totem, the only thing that could've helped him differentiate dreams and reality in limbo, cause i wasn't capable enough to do so."

"i'm not in the place to, but don't beat yourself up too much," xiaojun said. "it happens."

"is it common to wake up to your boyfriend having a gun pointed at his temple, split second before he pulls the trigger?" hendery spoke. 

hendery always wondered why ten killed himself, was it because he thought hendery hated him that he had to kill the two of them just to get them out of their world, or maybe because ten thought he was still dreaming. hendery wondered why ten didnt kill him either, maybe if he only woke up sooner.

"maybe," xiaojun said.

"i'm sorry for lashing out. this is why i don't like talking about it," hendery said, erasing the memory of him screaming ten's name, but the gun was louder.

"sorry for forcing you," xiaojun said with a quiet voice.

"i don't accept apologies," hendery said, teasing xiaojun. "what questions do you needed answers for."

"i need a way to go back."

"where?" hendery asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"i'll save it for another confession."

"ass."

"i wish i met ten, he seemed interesting."

"my boyfriend is not a psychology case."

"i don't mean it like that. i just wanted to get to know him."

"there is a way," hendery hesitantly said.

"well then, let's meet him!"

hendery shook his head. "it's not worth the risk."

"what do you mean?" 

"ten is a frequent cameo in my dreams, made by my subconscious."

"all the signs are pointing to yes, hendery."

"he's dangerous."

"you're dangerous! you're the one controlling him in your mind," xiaojun said.

"technically i can't, but fine, though you can't wander around and cause too much attention."

xiaojun nodded. "i know how dreams work," he said. "i just want to talk to him. maybe ask him a couple of questions."

"such as?"

"you'll know," xiaojun said. "you're the one i'm asking anyway."

\---

“which one do you prefer?” hendery asked xiaojun as he got comfortable with the sofa in the former’s room.

“and the options are?”

“shooting you on the head or waiting for the kick,” hendery replied.

xiaojun scoffed. “such range,” he said. “you know what, surprise me.”

“i can’t let you risk your life like that,” hendery said.

“oh, c’mon. we never have fun in these situations.”

“because meeting ten, made up by my subconsciouses, is never fun.”

“exactly, so we gotta make the most of it,” xiaojun said. “decide mine and vice versa?”

“no, thank you,” hendery said. “is your totem ready?”

xiaojun nodded. “yeah. look,” he said, showing hendery a small, wooden sand timer with ‘X²’ carved on top.

hendery gave him a fond smile. “i guess sand timers are popular, huh?”

“hmm?”

“i was friends with someone who had the same totem, i wonder where he is now.”

xiaojun’s heartbeat went faster. “what’s his name?”

\---

Xiaojun woke up to a flight of stairs, leading to a small brick and wooden house. He entered the premises, the house was vast inside, and it was filled with endless hallways.

“Hendery?” Xiaojun called out. He felt a hand hold his arm, prompting him to let out a gasp.

“This way,” Hendery guided Xiaojun.

“You seem to know your way around.”

“It’s my dream,” Hendery reasoned, causing Xiaojun to give him a knowing look. “I’ve spent a lot of time here too,” he admitted.

“He plays the piano?” Xiaojun asked, hearing a familiar song. “Je ne regrette rien? Classic.” he continued but Hendery didn’t seem to notice, he was busy searching for Ten.

“Which Ten are you searching for?” Xiaojun asked once more. 

“The most stable one,” Hendery said. “The one memory I remember is when we were at a cat cafe, before we started dreaming.” he continued and let go of Xiaojun’s arm.

Xiaojun didn't want to meet the Ten who was stable, he needed the dream-ridden Ten, the one who forgot what was real and fake.

What Hendery didn't know is that Xiaojun just wanted to talk to the least controlled one, because he’s the one that gives him more chances to enter limbo.

It was a taboo in their community. In limbo, where you construct everything on your own, it was all Xiaojun wanted, it was what he never had, full control.

Xiaojun felt an arm wrap around him and a cold metal against his temple. He let out a gasp alerting Hendery, who was at the far end of the hallway, to run to his direction as quickly as he could.

“Who is he?”

Hendery felt electricity down his spine.

“Please Ten, let go of him-”

“I asked for his name!” Ten exclaimed. The ceiling began shaking and the walls started to crack.

“He’s Xiaojun, he’s my friend,” Hendery said. His eyes shifted to the latter who looked calm despite the situation.

“Why did you bring a friend to our lovely home, Hendery?” Ten asked. “Am I not enough?”

“You are enough, Ten,” Hendery tried to calm him down. “Please just let him go-”

Hendery hated the sound of guns firing, everyone does and should, because that means someone died, and in this case, Xiaojun missed the kick to wake him up, and he ended in his limbo. 

He watched as Ten tossed Xiaojun’s body to the ground with the gun. Ten walked closer to Hendery’s shaking body.

“You can't get rid of me,” Ten said, wiping tears out of Hendery’s face.

“I don’t wanna get rid of you,” He spoke. “I just want to let you go.”

“I don’t want to go. I need you, Hendery.”

“It’s obvious, Ten. It’s me who needs you.”

“Then come with me,” Ten said. “Be with me, Guanheng.”

“I can’t, Ten.”

“There’s a way. There will always be a way,” Ten reassured. “You know it yourself.”

Hendery often wondered if Ten could feel his warm palms, gently placed on his shoulders. Hendery often forgets that the Ten he sees is fake.

\---

After a long time feeling lost, Xiaojun felt home once again.

He rushed to the apartment in front of him, tripping in the stairs he once walked on. His heartbeat raced faster as he reached the door. His hand rested on the door knob. He felt like his heart could jump out of him right now.

He twisted the knob and entered the room.

Nothing changed since the moment he left. Every memory, picture frames and glass shards stayed in their places.

He found himself in front of a bedroom. He placed his hand on the wooden door, his vows of coming back rushing to him as he finally opened it, seeing a tall, brown-haired man with a face he wouldn’t forget, sitting on the edge of their bed.

“I’m sorry, I kept you waiting,” Xiaojun spoke as he walked towards him.

He greeted Xiaojun with his arms open and gave him a hug that was preserved for decades.

Xiaojun began to sob on his chest. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I know I said I would come back, but I’m sorry it took this long.”

“As long as you’re home, Dejun. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too, Xuxi.”

  
  



End file.
